Study in Rocky River analyzes usefulness of Marion Ramp

ROCKY RIVER — Officials are one step closer to determining whether or not the Marion Ramp is still useful and how removing it could impact the city.
The ramp gives drivers crossing the Clifton Park Bridge access to Lake Road or Detroit Road. Drivers heading east on Detroit Road can also use the ramp as a shortcut to Clifton Blvd.
A $75,000 Transportation for Liveable Communities Initiative Grant is slated for study of a portion of Detroit Road from Wagar Road to the Detroit Rocky River Bridge. The project includes a parking and traffic analysis, and a feasibility study on the usefulness of the Marion Ramp.
The city applied for the grant because Detroit Road is scheduled for repaving in 2015, and officials want to get a head start on any changes to the Detroit Road corridor — even if those changes aren’t as big as the removal of a state-owned highway ramp.
But elimination of the ramp is in the city’s master plan, and Bobst has been asked by developers if it will truly be removed. But Bobst said she can’t tell a developer today if removing the ramp is something homeowners and businesses really want.
“I have referred many of (the developers) to ODOT,” she said. “ODOT does in fact (want to remove it), they are interested, they see the ramp as obsolete infrastructure.”
According to Bobst, the master plan provides for a transition area from heavy commercial on Detroit Road to single-family residential north of Lake Road.
“In that area between Detroit and Lake the master plan really looks at mixed-use,” she said. “As you can imagine this is a planning and visioning process that is far off in the distance.”
Bobst said as the study moves forward it will involve a very detailed stakeholder process.
“I’m not sure that it’s the best idea,” she said. “But I do believe we need a very public conversation.”
She added that removal of the ramp would also require a plan for a new and adequate north-south connector between Detroit and Lake Roads.
Construction of the ramp and Clifton Park Bridge in 1964 was controversial. According to documents found through Cleveland State’s Cleveland Memory Project, the purpose was to alleviate congestion on the Detroit Rocky River Bridge.
Private property was seized through eminent domain to complete the project, and Rocky River and Lakewood lost local property taxes when all was said and done.
Cleveland Press articles from 1960 discuss how the 15 homes on Marion Court would be “literally wiped off the map.” Photos show the Rocky River United Methodist Church, 19414 Detroit Road, with the caption, “Methodist Church stands at the corner of Marion Ct. and Detroit Road. Engineers believe the ramp that will be built off Detroit here will just miss the almost-new edifice.”
Another photo shows one of four houses as it was moved from 391 Arundel Road to make way for the bridge-ramp project in 1964. The home, a brick bungalow, relocated three miles to Bay Village and still stands at 24620 Wolf Road.
But 50 years later traffic concerns and continuing development may once again lead to a re-design of the area. Bobst said Lakewood is also looking at re-developing parts of Clifton Boulevard and the two cities could collaborate on any future projects.
“I would imagine there will be residents and business owners who won’t want to lose the ramp,” Bobst said. “But we want to take a look at that corridor because there has been a lot of investment on both the public and private side.”